A man who stole more than £150,000 of jewellery has been handed a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

Anthony Whelan, aged 50, appeared at Bristol Crown Court today (Friday) following his conviction for burglary and car crime in Portishead and Bath.

Whelan, from Liverpool, was found guilty of stealing high-value jewellery in Portishead in March 2017 and in Bath in January 2017.

He was also found guilty of theft from two vehicles in March 2017.

Whelan was arrested in Cheshire in July 30 after a police appeal and he was identified through CCTV footage – the stolen jewellery was never recovered.

The court heard how one victim had taken many months to get their lives ‘back on track’ and how their insurance recouped less than half the value of the stolen jewellery.

They also said the incident had left them ‘emotionally distraught’ and feeling unsafe, with much of the jewellery being ‘irreplaceable’.

Recorder Oba Nsugbe said: “These burglaries involved a great deal of planning and preparation. You have previously been sentenced for burglaries at Luton Crown Court, Guildford Crown Court and Bristol Crown Court. The least I can give you due to the seriousness of these offences is five and a half years.”